2014 buick lacrosse Reviews and News

That's real wood on the dash of the 2014 Buick LaCrosse. As far as we can tell, it's the first real wood that can be found anywhere on a Buick since the 1953 Roadmaster Estate station wagon.

Ditching the plastic woodgrain appliques that have been key in Buick interior design for fifty-some years is more important than you'd think. The brand, revitalized by the China market, got its LaCrosse full-size sedan more or less right when it replaced the AARP staff car, the Lucerne, for the 2010 model year. Since then, Cadillac and Chevrolet have joined Buick in using the long-wheelbase Epsilon II architecture. Cadillac uses it for the XTS (the replacement for the front-wheel-drive DeVille/DTS), and Chevrolet used it to finally put its W-body Impala to rest (except for the fleet-only Impala Limited), a car so old that if it were a consumer, it would fit neatly into the Lucerne buyer demographic.

So the bottom line is that the 2010 LaCrosse interior, and indeed the whole car, was pretty good, a major leap forward for the brand, and the 2014 Buick LaCrosse interior is even better, if a bit '70s-garish in our test car's Sangria leather interior spec. The interior wood even comes in two varieties, Kyoto Maple or Cellini, depending on the interior hue chosen. The real stitched leather is a higher grade, and such features as a standard eight-inch, center dash touchscreen; a safety-alert seat; blind-spot monitors; LED running lights; and the latest generation Intellilink are a sign that Buick once again is a real, dyed-in-the-wool premium brand, a claim that has been under question since the Reagan administration.

The 2014 Buick LaCrosse benefits from the wholesale improvements in American-car chassis dynamics that have raised all boats since the '70s. The LaCrosse doesn't wallow. There's good body control and a firmish ride, although we'd chalk that up to our test car's nineteen-inch wheels (twenties are available). The car was perfectly comfortable on southeastern Michigan roads, and when throttle came to push, push it did. Understeer gets pretty serious when you tackle a turn in a way no Buick buyer, regardless of age, would ever intentionally do. The 3.6-liter V-6 is more than adequate for this car, but with only a mid-cycle refresh, the LaCrosse is saddled with a six-speed automatic transmission. Although it was cutting edge a few years ago, it seems Dynaflow-inadequate compared with the V-6 rear-wheel-drive Chrysler 300's eight-speed automatic.

The 2.4-liter four-cylinder/eAssist light hybrid powertrain remains a no-cost option. The V-6-powered 2014 Buick LaCrosse is available with optional all-wheel-drive. Our tester was a front-wheel-drive model.

Steering is crisp and precise. GM engineers are having pretty good luck developing electronically assisted power steering, although feel and feedback are very much wanting. Just try to slalom the LaCrosse through any of the numerous traffic circles that are finally showing up on American soil, and you'll feel the car's heft; a combo of massive understeer and notable body roll.

That's okay. This is not a Verano or a Regal.

Buick's problem, then, comes down to this: that rather handsome new Chevy Impala that's built off the same architecture pushes GM's value brand into near-premium territory. In fact, if you look past the volume Impala LT to the LTZ model, you'll be hard-pressed to figure out why the Buick version is more premium -- making the Buick's real wood interior trim (which the Chevy doesn't have) that much more important. Our LaCrosse has a bottom line of $47,295 (Impala LTZs can be optioned up well into the $40s).

It's true that the LaCrosse is one of the quietest sedans you can buy. Buick has made a big deal of that for more than half a decade, but GM, understandably, couldn't resist putting the insulation tricks and acoustic glass in the higher-volume Chevy, which must compete head-on with the Ford Taurus and the Toyota Avalon while restoring the brand's reputation for delivering more car than you'd expect for the money.

The solution for Buick seems obvious. Rear-wheel drive. Yes, this is a favorite lost cause of this car critic. Cadillac is reverting to mostly rear-wheel-drive cars (not crossovers, where it matters far less). Chevy uses RWD for its performance cars, including the ultra-low-volume $45,000 Super Sport sedan. Buick should use the Cadillac Omega RWD platform for a halo that would compete against high-spec Chrysler 300Cs and Lexus GS models. Then, perhaps the brand should use a version of the Alpha platform (Cadillac ATS, next-gen Chevy Camaro) to replace the Regal and LaCrosse with something between the two in size. It could make a dandy Opel flagship as well.

All of that is a bit off-subject, true. But the fact is, real wood isn't enough to distinguish a big 2014 Buick LaCrosse premium sedan and a loaded Chevy sedan. For the consumer, the only decisions to make are: which design do you prefer, and which dealers offer better prices?

Vehicle Overview

The Buick LaCrosse is the automaker's flagship sedan that sits above the Regal and Verano. It offers luxury and refinement, and is one of the quietest sedans in the segment.

Summary

The 2014 LaCrosse comes in front-wheel drive with a choice of an eAssist I-4 or V-6 engine, a no-cost choice that comes down to preference. The 182-hp 2.4-liter I-4 makes 172 lb-ft of toque and is coupled to an electric motor that allows the engine to shut off and smoothly restart when the car stops. The eAssist I-4 combination, coupled to a six-speed automatic, nets an EPA-estimated 25/36 mpg city/highway, an improvement over the previous unassisted I-4 that got 19/30. Buyers who opt for the 3.6-liter V-6 get 304 hp and 264 lb-ft, a six-speed automatic, and optional all-wheel drive. The EPA rates the V-6 cars at 17-18/26-28 mpg, with a slight penalty for the AWD.

The 2014 Buick LaCrosse received a five-star overall safety rating from the NHTSA (out of a possible five stars), and in IIHS testing it received a rating of good for the categories in which it has been tested (the highest-available rating is good). The LaCrosse comes with two levels of safety features (Driver Confidence 1 and 2) with features including full-speed-range adaptive cruise control and a safety alert seat which takes inputs from the different safety systems and uses haptic feedback in the seat to alert the driver to possible hazards.

What We Think

In a Driven review of a 2012 Buick LaCrosse with the eAssist I-4 we said, "In all, the eAssist system is a very painless and unobtrusive way to get compact-car gas mileage in a big, comfortable sedan." We appreciated the car's refinement and thought the real wood was a nice interior touch. The problem we see is with the Chevrolet Impala, which shares the same platform and is creeping into near-luxury territory. "If you look past the volume Impala LT to the LTZ model, you'll be hard-pressed to figure out why the Buick version is more premium…" we said. For buyers it seems to come down to preferred design and what incentives your local dealer might have.

Recalls

General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain model year 2014 Buick Regal, LaCrosse, Verano, and Enclave, and Chevrolet Impala, Malibu, Cruze, and Traverse, and GMC Acadia vehicles equipped with automatic transmissions. In the affected vehicles, the transmission shift cable adjuster may disengage from the transmission shift lever. As such, these vehicles do not conform to Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 102, "Transmission Shift Lever Sequence, Starter Interlock, and Transmission Braking Effect." They also fail to conform to FMVSS number 114, "Theft Protection and Rollaway Prevention."

Consequences

If a vehicle's shift cable disengages from the transmission shift lever, a driver may be unable to shift gear positions and the indicated shift position may not represent the gear position the vehicle is in. Should a disengagement occur while the vehicle is being driven, when the driver goes to stop and park the vehicle, the driver may be able to shift the lever to the "PARK" position, but the vehicle transmission may not be in the "PARK" gear position. If the vehicle is not in the "PARK" position there is a risk the vehicle will roll away as the driver and other occupants exit the vehicle or anytime thereafter. A vehicle rollaway increases the risk of injury to exiting occupants and bystanders.

Remedy

General Motors will notify owners, and dealers will inspect and replace any affected transmission shift cable adjusters, free of charge. The recall began on April 10, 2014. Chevrolet owners may contact General Motors at 1-800-222-1020, Buick owners at 1-800-521-7300, and GMC owners at 1-800-462-8782. General Motors' number associated with this recall is 14048.

Potential Units Affected

355

Notes

General Motors LLC

Recall Date

12-31-1969:21:35:40

Component

SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:DISC

Summary

General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain model year 2014 Buick Lacrosse vehicles manufactured January 29, 2014, through March 31, 2014 and 2014 Chevrolet Malibu vehicles manufactured February 7, 2014, through March 31, 2014, and equipped with 17 inch front brake rotors. The affected vehicles may have had brake rotors intended for the rear of the car accidentally installed on the front. The rear rotors, while the same diameter, are thinner and may result in a front brake pad detaching from the caliper.

Consequences

If a brake pad detaches from caliper, there may be a sudden reduction in braking, lengthening the distance required to stop the vehicle and increasing the risk of a crash.

Remedy

GM will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the front brake rotors, and install the correct rotors with new brake pads, as necessary, free of charge. The recall began on June 20, 2014. Owners may contact General Motors customer service at 1-800-521-7300 (Buick) or 1-800-222-1020 (Chevrolet). GM's number for this recall is 14128.

Potential Units Affected

8,208

Notes

General Motors LLC

Recall Date

12-31-1969:21:35:40

Component

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

Summary

General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain model year 2014 Buick LaCrosse vehicles manufactured April 30, 2013, to September 1, 2013. In the affected vehicles, a wiring splice in the driver's door may corrode and break, resulting in the absence of an audible chime to notify the driver if the door is opened while the key is in the ignition. Additionally, the Retained Accessory Power (RAP) module may stay active for ten minutes allowing the operation of the passenger windows, rear windows, and sunroof. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) numbers 114, "Theft Protection and Rollaway Prevention," and 118, "Power-Operated Window, Partition, and Roof Panel Systems."

Consequences

Without an audible indicator, the driver may not be aware that the driver's door is open while the key is in the ignition, increasing the risk of a vehicle rollaway. If the passenger windows, rear windows, and sunroof can function when the vehicle is turned off and the driver is not in the vehicle, there is an increased risk of injury if an unsupervised occupant operates the power closures.

Remedy

GM will notify owners and dealers will inspect the driver door window motor harness, and replace the electrical splice, as necessary, free of charge. The recall began August 2014. Owners may contact Buick customer service at 1-800-521-7300. General Motors number for this recall is 14235.